Gander Outdoors Truck Series News (5932)

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that Safelite® AutoGlass will return to the organization in 2019 as a primary sponsor for 19 races on Harrison Burton's No. 18 Tundra during his first full-time season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS). The nation's largest provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services joined KBM in 2018 as the primary sponsor for championship contender Noah Gragson and also has served as an associate sponsor for Burton's limited Truck Series schedule this season.

Burton, the son of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver and current NASCAR on NBC analyst Jeff Burton, is currently in his third season driving a limited schedule for KBM. The talented teenager has recorded one pole, 76 laps led, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes across 14 starts since making his Truck Series debut for KBM at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway shortly after turning 16 in October of 2016.

The NASCAR Next alumnus has posted solid numbers across his first seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) starts in 2018, collecting his first Truck Series pole and leading 30 laps at Iowa Speedway in Newton in June, while overall posting three top-five and six top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 6.6. He led a race-high 46 laps and equaled his career-best finish by finishing third in his most recent start at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., Nov. 9 and will finish out the season this Friday at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

"I've worked really hard the last few seasons driving a limited schedule for KBM to prove that I'm capable of running full-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2019 and I'm excited for the opportunity to do so with Safelite AutoGlass as my primary sponsor," Burton said. "By using all of the resources that I have available at KBM, with the support of Toyota and Toyota Racing Development, I know that I'll continue to improve as a driver and I'm confident that I'm capable of competing for wins and being a legitimate contender for the Truck Series championship next year. Obviously, to get to this point in my career it has taken a lot of support from a lot of different people, so I can't thank my parents enough as well as companies like DEX Imaging, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Morton Buildings, RUUD and FIELDS for being great partners."

"Harrison has done a great job of balancing being a high school student, as well as a student of racing since making his first Truck Series start for KBM shortly after turning 16 a few years ago," team owner Kyle Busch said. "The results of his hard work are starting to pay dividends and we're confident that his first Truck Series win will be coming shortly and he'll be able to be in the mix for the championship next year.

"The support that Safelite provides our team by bringing their employees and business partners to the races is amazing to see, but even more rewarding is the chance for our organization to be a part of the efforts they make in giving back to the communities where we race. We know that Harrison will be a great representative for them on and off the track."

"We are very excited for the 2019 season with Harrison Burton behind the wheel of the Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra," Garth Beck, Senior Vice President Safelite AutoGlass West Region said. "He is a very talented young driver with many accomplishments at a young age and will be a great fit for Safelite. We are looking forward to another great year in partnership with KBM and Harrison for the 2019 season."

In addition to his Truck Series schedule, Burton has run limited schedules in the ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and Super Late Models this year. He posted one win, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 6.1 across nine ARCA Racing Series starts this season. He produced two poles, four top-five and five-top top-10 finishes for an average finish of 4.2 across five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races this season. He has also recorded four Super Late Model victories this season, including the prestigious Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, Ala.

Burton captured the 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title after registering a series-high five wins, two poles, 142 laps led, 12 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 3.3 across the series' 14 events. In addition to his five K&N victories, the North Carolina native has collected two ARCA Racing Series and numerous Super Late Model victories including marquee events including the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, Ala., in 2018 and the ARCA/CRA SpeedFest at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga., in 2017.

Safelite AutoGlass is currently in their first season as a primary sponsor at KBM and third overall in the Truck Series. Noah Gragson will be looking to deliver the Ohio-based company their first-ever NASCAR championship this Friday, Nov. 16, at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

Announcements on who will serve as Burton's crew chief as well as further sponsorship announcements for the remainder of Burton's 2019 schedule are forthcoming.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) will head to Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway this weekend for the 2018 season finale. USAC Champion Chris Windom will be behind the wheel of the No. 54 Baldwin Brothers Racing / Central Abrasives Toyota Tundra in Friday's 200 mile race.

The NCWTS 200 will mark the 27-year-old Canton, Ill. native's fifth-career Truck Series race, his second for DGR-Crosley. Windom has one prior start at the one-and-a-half mile track of Homestead-Miami Speedway which occurred in 2017 with MB Motorsports. An electrical issue during that race forced him to retire from competition early, relegating him to a 26th-place finish. Earlier this season, Windom raced in the Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway for DGR-Crosley where he earned a 14th-place finish despite fighting engines issues. The top-15 that he and the No. 54 Toyota Racing team earned at Eldora was a career best NCWTS finish for Windom. He will return to Homestead-Miami Speedway with the familiar voice of Bono Manion calling the shots atop the pit box, looking to top his career high finish.

Practice, qualifying and the NCWTS 200 will all take place on Friday, Nov. 16. Qualifying will kick-off at 3:45 p.m., ET on FS1 with racing action beginning at 8:00 p.m., also on FS1.

With the checkered flag of the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season just 201 miles away, rookie Justin Fontaine (@driverFontaine) heads to Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway for Friday night’s Ford EcoBoost 200 looking to end his inaugural season on a high note.

And with the season-finale on deck, the Asheville, N.C.-native would like to end his year with the same result he started his 23-race journey; a top-10 finish.

Fontaine, driver of the No. 45 ProMATIC Automation Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports also knows once he unbuckles from his 26th career Truck Series race – he’ll leave behind a dream accomplished, as he’ll step out of racing and turn his attention towards academics as a student at the University of North Carolina (Charlotte).

“I can’t believe the end of the season is here,” said Fontaine. “It’s been an incredibly humbling season driving for Niece Motorsports and we’ve had a lot to be proud of. I’d like to think we can add to our success this year with a strong run under the lights Friday night.”

Fontaine has never been to the iconic 1.5-mile speedway, but that scenario isn’t new for the 21-year-old. Much of his first full-time season has been getting adjusted to racing full-time in trucks, while tackling tracks he had never experienced previously.

While Fontaine doesn’t hide that the results have been mixed, he doesn’t shy away from the factor that the effort from his Niece Motorsports team hasn’t lacked.

“I’ve had to embrace a lot and learn a lot, quickly at times,” added Fontaine. “Sometimes, it worked out well.

Sometimes it didn’t. Through the good and bad though, my Niece Motorsports team has stuck behind me and I know Homestead will be no different this weekend.

“I’ve heard a lot about the track and a lot of the drivers have told me it’s one of their favorites because it’s a place where there is lots of room to race. There’s a lot on the line for some on Friday night, but for us, it’s business as usual. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Poised to collect his third career top-10 finish, Fontaine knows that staying on the lead lap and making the most of the opportunities to make his truck better will aid his effort.

“Matt (Weber) will again be my crew chief this weekend and I think we’ve built a pretty good relationship,” added Fontaine. “He’s smart and listens and tries to give me everything I need.

“He wants to end the year on a high note, just like I do. Hopefully, we can get it done.”

After 22 races, Fontaine sits 16th in the series’ standings. He carries an average finish of 20.2 entering Homestead. He earned a career-best ninth-place result at Las Vegas in March.

In addition to a full-time NASCAR driver, Fontaine just started his sophomore year as a student at the University of North Carolina (Charlotte), where he is pursuing a political science degree.

The Ford EcoBoost 200 (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 23rd of 23 races on the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Nov. 16 from 8:35 a.m. – 9:25 a.m., while final practice is set for 10:05 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day beginning at 3:45 p.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. with live coverage on FS1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

On the heels of their fifth top-10 finish of the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season, Jesse Little and JJL Motorsports head to Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, site of Friday night's season-finale looking to end their season - the same way it started, with a top-10 finish in its Skuttle Tight Ford F-150.

The Ford EcoBoost 200 will mark the team's ninth race of the year and while much of the season has been considered an arousing success, the Sherrills Ford, N.C.-based team isn't losing sight of the bigger picture.

"Honestly, I'd love to win," said driver Jesse Little. "Our team is the strongest its been all year. We have a lot of great support and our trucks are fast. I'm eager to get to Homestead and get down to business, but I honestly think we can be a sleeper on Friday night and contend for the win."

Of course, Homestead marks the Championship 4 race for the Truck Series and while Little says respect of the championship contenders is important, he also knows Friday night's race offers another chance to keep his family-owned team in the spotlight.

Little, 21, will make his third start at Homestead and first since 2016. In his two previous starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, he earned a best finish of 14th in 2015, while earning a best starting spot of 12th two years ago.

This weekend, Little hopes to improve the bottom line.

"I enjoy racing at Homestead, it's a racers race track," he explained. "The track is going to change a lot from the start of the day to the end of the race - but that will help make it exciting. Handling will be crucial as the best handling car will be able to pass trucks.

"My crew chief Matt (Noyce) has a good setup and we're just looking forward to getting down to Florida and doing our business."

Like Texas, Little's truck will be sponsored by Skuttle Tight, a Willmar, Minn.-based manufacturer that offers two insulted attic access system that are easy to install.

In addition to Skuttle Tight and Grindstaff Rub. Co., Little's No. 97 Ford F-150 will have support from Ford Performance and Performance Friction Corporation (PFC) Brakes.

JJL Motorsports owner Jason Little says the organization continues to prepare for the 2019 season is hoping to compete full-time, but the team needs additional partners for next year to make it happen.

"The team continues to showcase its program and search for new partners who can benefit from participation in the 2019 Gander Outdoors Truck Series," said Little. "We believe we have one of the strongest teams out here competing in the Truck Series and offer a very compelling return for our partners.

"When we analyze sponsorship metrics from Joyce Julius & Associates, the industry source for accurate exposure and value measurement of sponsorship programs and branding efforts JJL Motorsports and Jesse Little continue to be one of the top performers in the Truck races we run said Little."

"It's a challenge to find business and marketing partners but we will continue to work hard to compete for top-fives and wins every race. It's been very exciting to see the improvement in the team and Jesse's performance this season finishing consistently in the top-10 and competing for wins at tracks like Atlanta, Dover, Iowa, Las Vegas and Texas.

"Looking forward to seeing what the team can do at Homestead and close out the year with another impressive performance."

Stay tuned to JJL Motorsports' social media accounts early in the week for two opportunities to attend the season finale at Homestead as guests of Jesse Little and the team.

The Ford EcoBoost 200 (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 23rd of 23 races on the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Nov. 16 from 8:35 a.m. - 9:25 a.m., while final practice is set for 10:05 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day beginning at 3:45 p.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. with live coverage on FS1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

For more on Skuttle Tight, please visit skuttle-tight.com or by calling 1-866-SKUTTLE. Also visit them on Facebook (Skuttle Tight Inc.) or on Twitter @SkuttleTight.

On the heels of another top-20 finish last weekend at ISM Raceway, Niece Motorsports driver Austin Wayne Self (@AustinWSelf) heads to Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, site of Friday night’s Ford EcoBoost 200, hopeful to earn his second top-10 finish of the season.

Noted as one of the most consistent drivers in the second-half of the Truck Series season, Self, driver of the No. 22 GO TEXAN | AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado, is determined to better his season-high ninth-place in this year’s season-finale.

“2018 went by pretty fast,” said Self. “It’s been a really fun season driving these Chevrolet Silverado’s for Niece Motorsports and while our finishes didn’t always showcase our actual performance, I know as a team we grew so much from the start of the season to Homestead this weekend.

“Especially during the summer stretch and into the fall, our trucks were pretty good, and we had a lot of solid, consistent finishes. We were able to get a top-10 finish at Las Vegas in September and really felt like we could have had a top-five at Talladega – if not for being caught up in a last lap crash.

“But, that’s all behind us and the only thing that matters is Homestead this weekend and I’m focused on going and getting the job done.”

The Austin, Texas native has two prior starts at the 1.5-mile speedway. After finishing 25th in his track debut in 2016, Self picked up the pace considerably last November and earned a respectable 17th-place finish driving for Martins Motorsports.

On Friday night, Self thinks he can deliver his second top-10 run of the season.

“Homestead is a blast,” added Self. “It’s a fast race track with plenty of room to race. It’s also one of those tracks that is really temperature sensitive. We’ll practice and qualify during the day, but run at night, so we have to make sure we’re doing our part to keep our No. 22 GO TEXAN | AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado adjusted accordingly.

“It’s a fast-paced race. Restarts will be pretty important and exciting at the same time. I just need to be smooth on the wheel and rely on my team for good pitstops and hope when push comes to shove, we’re competing for a top-10 when the checkered flag waves.”

After 22 races, Self sits 12th in the series’ standings. He carries an average finish of 16.7 entering Homestead.

Like last year, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN program and AM Technical Solutions will also support Self in his 63rd career start.

GO TEXAN represents Texas agri-business on state, national and international levels by building recognition with the GO TEXAN mark.

Along with its signature mark in the shape of Texas, GO TEXAN celebrates, promotes and supports the business savvy and plainspoken grit Texas agriculture is known throughout the world.

Don’t mess with Texas, CForce Bottling Company, Flying Circle and Kreuz Market will serve as associate partners in the 23rd race of the year.

In 62 NCWTS races, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year has one top-five (second at Daytona 2017) and four top-10 finishes. The Texan maintains an average finish of 18.1 during his three years of competition.

For more on Austin Wayne Self, like his Facebook page (Austin Wayne Self) or follow him on Twitter @AustinWSelf.

For more on Flying Circle, please visit flyingcirclegear.com, like them on Facebook (FlyingCircleGear) and follow them on Instagram (@flyingcirclegear) and Twitter (@flyingcircle_). Also connect with Flying Circle on Pinterest and YouTube.

For more on Niece Motorsports, please visit niecemotorsports.com.

The Ford EcoBoost 200 (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 23rd of 23 races on the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Nov. 16 from 8:35 a.m. – 9:25 a.m., while final practice is set for 10:05 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day beginning at 3:45 p.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. with live coverage on FS1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

For the second consecutive race, On Point Motorsports will pair with Jeb Burton as they head to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In the season finale, Burton will pilot the No. 30 Ultimate Headers Toyota Tundra at the 1.5-mile track in South Florida.

“It is great to have Jeb back in our No. 30 truck this week and build on our performance together from Martinsville,” stated Steven Lane, manager of On Point Motorsports. “Jeb has a good amount of experience in these trucks and that is an asset for our organization as we continue to build towards a full-time effort next season. We appreciate the support of Ultimate Headers for this week and look forward to another solid outing to end the season.”

On Point Motorsports will be making their fifth start as a new NASCAR Camping World Truck Series organization. The team has been impressive in their first four races and looks to add another strong performance in Homestead.

“I am excited for the opportunity to race once again with On Point Motorsports,” stated Jeb. “I have always run well at Homestead and should’ve won a truck race there back in 2013. Hopefully we can go down there and have another solid run with this No. 30 Toyota Tundra. I want to thank Ultimate Headers for their support as all of this would not be possible without them.”

Burton will be making his 53rd career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and his third at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeb’s success at the South Florida track is highlighted by a third-place finish in the 2013 event.

The season finale for the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season will be Friday November 16th and can be seen LIVE on FoxSports1 at 8:00 pm ET and heard nationwide on MRN Radio and SiriusXM Channel 90.

Brett Moffitt hustled his way to his fifth win of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season at ISM Raceway, courtesy of another late-race pass for the lead and reserved his spot among the Championship Four. Moffitt will race for his first-career NCWTS championship next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway thanks to his sixth-career victory, and his first win in the playoffs.

The driver of the No. 16 Kobe Toyopet Toyota Tundra displayed his muscle from the outset of the 150-lap event after starting from fifth position. By lap 18, Moffitt had climbed into third and began his attack on the race lead on a lap 34 restart. The Grimes, Iowa product utilized the outside lane to take command of the top spot on lap 34 and went on to capture his second stage win of the season.

Crew chief Scott Zipadelli directed Moffitt to pit road under the stage caution for four tires, but Moffitt would be relegated to the tail of the field for a pit road speeding penalty. Moffitt restarted 21st on lap 54 and proceeded to put on a show slicing his way back to the front. In five laps, he was back inside the top 15 and reentered the top 10 on lap 70. While stage points were of the utmost importance in the quest to reach the championship finale, Moffitt knifed his way back to seventh to earn four points by the end of Stage 2 on lap 90.

Moffitt lined up sixth for the start of the final stage on lap 106 after strong execution on pit road by the HRE team. After losing a spot on the restart, Moffitt collected his Tundra and began to inch forward as his handling improved. A caution on lap 128 allowed him to move to third on the subsequent restart on lap 137. That move allowed him to restart in striking position on the final restart on lap 148. Moffitt dove to the inside to make a three-wide move for the lead into Turn 1 and completed the pass off Turn 2. Moffitt drove away over the final three laps to secure his first win at ISM Raceway in his first NCWTS start at the one-mile desert tri-oval. The win sends Moffitt to Homestead-Miami for a four-way, heads-up battle for the NCWTS crown.

Brett Moffitt Quote:

“We had a really good Kobe Toyopet Toyota Tundra all night long. I kind of screwed us there with a pit road speeding penalty, which I wasn’t even trying to push it. So I was a little bit caught off guard. But, I knew once we got the track position back, I didn’t know whether I wanted a caution at the end or not, because we were in (the Championship Four). Then a caution kind of mixed that up, but luckily we were able to take advantage of it. We had a badass restart and got to the front.”

“This HRE team has been strong, pretty much everywhere we go. I feel like we have a shot to win the race (at Homestead-Miami) if we execute. Tonight, we executed how we need to. We need to do that again next week. Homestead is a fun track for me. I like it. I also have never been there in a truck. I’ve never been here (at ISM Raceway) in a truck, never been there in a truck. Only been there in Cup cars, so hopefully that’s a good sign.”

Christian Eckes restarted 12th with three laps remaining in Friday night's Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway, but was able to gain three positions in the closing laps to earn his third top-10 finish in his fourth and final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2018.

Across the first four starts of his Truck Series career, the talented teenager led 38 laps while posting an average start of 8.5 and average finish of 13.5.

Stage One Recap:

Eckes made it a perfect four-for-four this season in advancing to the final round of knockout qualifying when he earned the 11th starting position Friday afternoon.

He gained one position on the initial start of the 150-lap event and remained in the 10th spot when the first caution of the race occurred on lap 28. When pit road opened, crew chief Cody Glick summoned his young driver to the attention of the over-the-wall crew who put on fresh right-side tires and a full tank of fuel in the Mobil 1 Tundra.

Eckes took the lap-32 restart from the 11th position and once again gained one spot by the time the field got back to the stripe. He would end Stage One scored 10th.

Stage Two Recap:

Eckes did not hit pit road between stages and would restart sixth when Stage Two went green on lap 53.

Shortly after the green flag waved to start Stage Two, Eckes found himself in the middle of a few three-wide battle and had subsided back to the 14th position on lap 60.

In the closing laps of Stage Two he was able to regain a few positions and crossed the stripe in the 11th position.

Final Stage Recap:

When pit road opened, Eckes brought the Mobil 1 Tundra to pit road for another four-tire and fuel stop. He returned to the track scored in the 13th spot for the lap-99 restart.

The New York native once again lost a couple spots on the restart and settled in line 15th. He regained one position before the fourth caution of the night slowed the field on lap 128.

Glick summoned him to pit road for four fresh tires, a chassis adjustment and a full tank of fuel. He returned to the track scored in the 16th position for the restart with 14 laps remaining in the race.

He put his four fresh tires to work, quickly gaining a couple of positions and moving back towards the top 10. The Mobil 1 Tundra was scored 12th when the final caution of the night occurred on lap l43.

Eckes would gain three positions over the final three laps to collect his third top-10 finish of the season.

"We had the speed to get it done tonight. We had a really good Protect The Harvest Ford F-150. That's all we had. It just wasn't meant to be. I'm really proud of this year. We're not running for a championship next week but it wasn't for lack of effort. These guys have come a long way, and I'm proud of everyone."

2018 Stats:

Starts: 22

Laps Completed: 3,257 / 3,269

Laps Led: 147

Wins: 1 (Las Vegas)

Poles: 1 (Gateway)

Top-five Finishes: 6

Top-10 Finishes: 14

Average start: 7.8

Average finish: 9.0

Phoenix Race Information:

Started: 9th

Stage 1: 7th

Stage 2: 2nd

Finished: 11th

Laps: 150 / 150

Laps Led: 1

Status: Running

Driver Points: 5th

Owner Points: 10th

MATT CRAFTON FINISHES 11TH AT ISM RACEWAY

"We had very good speed. We drove through a few [positions] at the beginning of the race, and took two tires, driving to second and running the leader down. When we came down pit road later to put four tires on, we just couldn't get the right front off and lost seven or eight spots. It buried us, and then none of the lanes would go our way to end the night. All in all, we'll go to race for a win at Homestead in the Menards Ford F-150. Nothing to hang our head on too bad. We've got one more - we're going to go get a trophy at Homestead."

2018 Stats:

Starts: 22

Laps Completed: 3,066 / 3,269

Laps Led: 65

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top-five Finishes: 7

Top-10 Finishes: 12

Average start: 10.3

Average finish: 11.5

Phoenix Race Information:

Started: 6th

Stage 1: 9th

Stage 2: 5th

Finished: 12th

Laps: 150 / 150

Laps Led: 2

Status: Running

Driver Points: 7th

Owner Points: 5th

BEN RHODES FINISHES 12TH AT ISM RACEWAY

"It wasn't a very good day for our Carolina Nut Co. Ford F-150. Not what we wanted to see at the end of the race. We struggled all day long with just keeping the truck turning without unhooking the rear end. A little disappointing that we didn't have the speed that we needed, but I think we got some great notes to try and come back better, faster and strong for tracks like and similar to this. We're going to take the positives that we can from it and move on, but overall just a disappointing run for our team today."

2018 Stats:

Starts: 22

Laps Completed: 3,249 / 3,269

Laps Led: 230

Wins: 1 (Kentucky)

Poles: 3 (Martinsville, Eldora, Canada)

Top-five Finishes: 8

Top-10 Finishes: 12

Average start: 9.5

Average finish: 9.9

Phoenix Race Information:

Started: 17th

Stage 1 Finish: 16th Stage 2 Finish: 20th

Finished: 23rd

Laps: 147 / 150

Laps Led: 0

Status: Running

Driver Points: 9th

Owner Points: 12th

MYATT SNIDER FINISHES 23RD AT ISM RACEWAY

"All the guys from the Tenda Ford F-150 team worked really hard to get the truck back out and running after we had some issues mid-race. It just wasn't meant to be today but it wasn't for lack of effort. We're setting our eyes on Homestead next week, looking to lock in the Rookie of the Year title and a win."

- Sauter will compete for his second NCWTS title next weekend at Homestead-Miami. The Necedah, Wisconsin native has participated in the final round of the playoff system since it was put into use in the Truck Series.

Quote

“I’m not really sure what to say about how tonight went. We just couldn’t get the handling right, something we struggled with in practice as well. It started off loose, then it was tight and it swung back loose at the end. But it doesn’t concern me as far as Miami goes. My guys are good, they know what we need to do and we’ve got a truck we’re taking that is really good. We’ve been saving it for that last race so hopefully we’ll be bringing home another champion for GMS and Chevy.”

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 United Rentals / A. M. Ortega Chevrolet

START: 16th

FINISH: 10th

OWNER PTS: 14th

Notes:

- In just his third start with GMS Racing, Creed’s 10th-palce finish in his debut at ISM Raceway is a NCWTS career-best finish.

- This weekend Creed announced that he would return to GMS Racing next season to compete full-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series (NGOTS).

Quote:

"I felt like we struggled all day with the balance on the United Rentals Chevy. I’m content though with leaving Phoenix after a 10th-place finish considering the handling issues we fought. I’m just trying to gain all the experience I can this year so that I’m in position to be able to contend for wins next season with GMS Racing.”

Tyler Dippel, No. 25 Alesso Chevrolet

START: 13th

FINISH: 14th

OWNER PTS: 13th

Quote:

“I felt like we had a really good truck tonight but it was taking a little longer for me to make passes as I figured out how to get around guys. Eddie (D’Hondt, spotter) and Jerry (Baxter, Crew Chief) really helped out with feedback on what was working as I tried to move around the track. I just started to get loose in the second stage and then it tightened up on entry toward the end. I think I learned a lot tonight and we’ve got one more race to go out and close this out strong.”

Justin Haley, No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet

START: 2nd

FINISH: 28th

Championship 4 Contender

Notes:

- After running top-five all night, an oil leak with 19 laps to go ended Haley’s night early, resulting in a 28th-place finish.

- Unfortunately with his misfortune, Haley's streak of consecutive top-10 finishes ends at 12 races, starting with his first win of the season at Gateway Motorsports Park and lasting through his win at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend. With one race remaining in the 2018 NCWTS season, Haley has three wins, nine top-five, and 17 top-10 finishes.

- With the final race of the Round of Six complete, Haley is one of the final four drivers left in the NASCAR Playoffs who will contend for the NCTWS championship when the series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend.

Quote:

“Tonight's race was just a tough deal. I had a fast Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet but a cut oil line ended our night early. It's things like this that make me glad that we locked in to the Final Four last weekend. I've got a good group of guys on the 24 team, and we'll regroup and get ready to race for a championship in Homestead next weekend. We've got nothing to lose now, and it's all on the line."

Todd Gilliland came to ISM Raceway hoping to capture his first win of the season after just missing it last weekend in Texas. It was not meant to be, however, as contact from another truck early in the race cost him a lap while making repairs on pit road. It took him nearly the entire race to return to the lead lap, leaving him with a 17th-place finish.

Stage One Recap:

Gilliland started in 10th, but was clipped by the No. 17 Tundra on lap 27 causing both trucks to spin.

He came to pit road for repairs to the right-rear quarterpanel, but lost a lap to the leaders while in the pits.

He finished the first 45-lap stage in 23rd place, one lap down and pitted for four tires when he was able to bring his PEDIGREE® Tundra to pit road.

Stage Two Recap:

When Stage Two began Gilliland was in 27th and still one lap down.

He was in position to be the lucky dog a few times throughout the second stage, but was never able to get a caution when he needed it to regain his lap.

When the second 45-lap stage ended he was 22nd and pitted again for four tires.

Stage Three Recap:

Gilliland restarted the final stage in 21st place, one lap down.

He was running lap times as fast as the 10th-place truck, but could not catch a break to get his lap back.

A caution with nine laps to go put him back on the lead lap. He pitted for four tires and restarted 19th with three laps remaining.